In Iraq, Soldiers Become Gamers During Down Time

In Iraq, Soldiers Become Gamers During Down Time

February 24, 2008
Weekend America reporter Adam Allington, on assignment with U.S. troops in Anbar Province, reports that video games are a very popular leisure time activity.
Video game sales are way up [among soldiers]... In a converted Iraqi Republican Guard barracks, Sergeant David Carr and several of his buddies are huddled around a hard-to-find Nintendo Wii.

"We play it when we get off of work almost every night," Carr says... At the moment however, Carr isn't playing a shoot-em-up game. Right now he's got something a little more relaxing, "Hooked! Real Motion Fishing."

GP: This story reminds me that the Fun For Our Troops non-profit organization works to send games and systems to our military personnel serving overseas.
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Comments

I talked to a guy a few months ago who was back from his first tour over there. He said they don't get new games in very often, so they try to find games with lots of content (he mentioned Disgaea), then just play the hell out of them.
@ All

Just to be clear, I wasnt suggesting that it was a good idea. I just wonder how the story would have been written by a journalist had they been playing such titles.

I would have expected a "Troops unwind on virtual death simulator" headline.
Send them some Harvest Moon? Hahahaha! But hey, i see the future in gaming to combad PTSD.
What I wanna know is, would this story have a different slant if they were all playing COD4 or Counterstrike....
@Canary Wudaboy

No soldier plays Shooters right after combat. It screws with your mind.
It would be extremely interesting if a study came out showing that playing videogames reduced the effects of PTSD or the chances of getting it. Jack and friends then would have a really tough time fighting a military backed device.
I remember jsut a few weeks ago a soldier came home from iraq and started playing CoD4. He ended up having a relapse of his time at iraq and running off into the streets thinking he was under attack. So yea I'd have to agree playing FPS right after your time at iraq isn't a very good thing to do.
@ Aaron Lockard,

That depends on you and on what happened to you.

A lot.
Wow, somebody send them some good games. Playing Hooked should be considered torture. Yeouch!
So hang on. If videogames are helping the troops relax, this means that Jack Thompson is actually aiding the terrorists and putting our troops in danger.
[...] Source: Weekend America, GamePolitics [...]
@BlackIce
I played Final Fantasy. It was nearly as fucked up. And if playing COD4 sends you into a relapse, you have deep problems and a weak psyche to start with. I love that game. But what I think is the best, and this is just me now, is when I play on XBOX live and end up playing with 11 year old retarded kids who can't stop rapping into the mic long enough to shoot someone, and then talk a lot of shit when you call them out on the level of suck they brought to the table.
I believe some"Relapse"2-playerboardgames are on thier way to some of our troops, I hope they are recieved well,Search Google video and see this game,Fun!! and can learn in less than 4-Minutes, Enjoy!

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 07/04/09 at 07:58pm
GoodRobotUs: Which seems to be the only point Jack proved, that some people find some games offensive. i.e. Nothing.
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:57pm
GoodRobotUs: The discussion was supposed to be whether games were dangerous not 'Do you find some games offensive'...
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:55pm
GoodRobotUs: Some agreed, some didn't, but it was their choice to make, not the governments.
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:55pm
GoodRobotUs: By asking the audience their opinion, he more or less proved that it's a matter of personal choice
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:55pm
GoodRobotUs: Meh, he ended proving Mark's point for him
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:26pm
Erik: Jack if you are reading this you are a LIAR. There is no legal weight to the MPAA's ratings.
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:24pm
JDKJ: I still think my buddy the midget who rides a unicycle backwards while juggling four bowling pins would have been a much bigger hit with that crowd. And he can make up statistics and misinterpret studies, too.
Posted 07/04/09 at 06:33pm
Alyric: Of course, Mark falls into the common trap about Columbine, which had nothing to do with bullying, etc. See: http://slate.msn.com/id/2099203/?GT1=3256 for a more thorough explanation.
Posted 07/04/09 at 06:32pm
PHX Corp: Read this http://www.destructoid.com/sgc-09-liveblogging-the-jack-thompson-debate-138502.phtml#ext
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:54pm
PHX Corp: JT is afraid of such ban then advocates it That's what i call a total Hypocrite
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:50pm
PHX Corp: AE: JT is a -Bleeping- Jackass
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:07pm
Andrew Eisen: JT "knew it would be a good audience." Not what he said on Tuesday.
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:01pm
Andrew Eisen: VG cause violent behavior. VG companies influence behavior to get sales. Yeah, that makes sense. (To be fair, the Twitter feed makes deciphering JT's point pretty tough.)
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:52pm
Andrew Eisen: Yes, it's been proposed but as far as I know it has not been passed. Big difference.
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:50pm
Cheater87: http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/all-violent-video-games-be-banned-in-germany-$1301757.htm
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:49pm
Andrew Eisen: Far as I know, Germany has not banned all violent video games.
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:44pm
Cheater87: Jack wants the US to follow Germany's total video game ban.
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:42pm
Andrew Eisen: Note to JT, it is not illegal to sell kids a ticket to R-rated movies.
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:39pm
Cheater87: Jack said we would be better with no rating sytem.
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:35pm
Alareth: So what was the introduction used for Jack?
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